1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric solder tweezers, and more particularly, the present invention relates to handheld fluid cooled electric solder tweezers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for handheld soldering devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,101 to Brown et al. teaches a tweezer-type heating device for installation and removal of electronic components with respect to a substrate, such as for SMC installation and through hole installation or removal. More specifically, a handheld tweezer-type heating device is provided in which a wide variety of different sized (and shaped) tips can be used with a high degree of accuracy in terms of thermo/mechanical contact. Tolerances in the parts of the handpiece, the assembly, the heaters and the tips that may bring the bottom edges of the tips out of their alignment plane are very easily corrected with an adjustable hinge which, by loosening of a screw and sliding the parts with respect to each other, allows proper alignment to be achieved. Still further, a thumb screw is provided at the back of the handpiece to allow the gap between the tips to be slightly opened or closed. This is useful in accommodating tolerances in the components. Also, it allows the operator to slip-fit the tips over the component and make proper thermo/mechanical contact with little or no squeezing of the handpiece, thereby minimizing the chance of mechanically damaging the component or its leads by squeezing too hard, or causing damage to adjacent components. A plate-like alignment tool with projecting tab portions that engages in an edge slot of the tip elements and contacts other surfaces of the tip elements, as well, enables simultaneous aligning of the tip elements axially, laterally and rotationally with respect to each other and the mounting units.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,435 to Wang teaches an electric soldering iron that has an elongated hollow handle casing having a tubular hollow holder extending from one end thereof and supporting a soldering bit heated by an electric heater within the holder. A forked suction pipe is secured to the holder and includes a main pipe having an intake port at one end disposed adjacent to the soldering tip and an outlet port at its other end connected to an induced-draft fan assembly through a flexible air pipe. A branch pipe of the suction pipe extends laterally from the main pipe and has an intake port connected to the interior of the casing through a heat resistant hose. Actuation of the induced-draft fan causes soldering fumes generated at the tip to be drawn into the main pipe and for cooling ambient air to be drawn through the casing from an inlet at its other end to remove excess heat from the casing.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,072 to Okuno teaches an electric soldering iron that is made difficult to heat up at the front end of its grip. A metal pipe is inserted in the grip so that the pipe comes into close contact at least partially with the grip, with a gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the pipe at its front end and the inner peripheral surface of the grip. The heat produced by the accumulator conducts through the pipe to the grip and disperses throughout the grip. Thus, the front tend of the grip is less likely to heat up.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,535 to Curwick, et al. teaches a hot air torch for the welding of plastic featuring an air flow around and about the inner portions of tubular members which entrains unwanted internally generated heat prior to the welding tip to provide a torch body which is safe to the touch while at the same time providing suitably heated air at the welding tip. Excess accumulated heat is vented overboard in the vicinity of the welding tip.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,750,431 to Miyazaki teaches a tweezer-type hand-held device for removing an electric or electronic component from a substrate that is provided with a pair of contact pieces to be brought into contact with the component to grasp and heat the component and melt solder which fixes the component on the substrate. The contacts are respectively held by a pair of legs which, in turn, are interconnected with each other such that one of the legs moves toward the other with the legs and contact pieces being kept in parallel with each other.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,386 to Miyazaki teaches a soldering iron that comprises a tip end; a heater portion for electrically heating the tip end of the soldering iron; a holding portion provided at the rear end of the heater portion: a heat pipe structure provided in the holding portion; a first heat pipe holder for holding a frontal portion of the heat pipe structure to which heat generated at the heater portion is transferred; a second heat pipe holder for holding a rear part of the heat pipe structure; and a grip portion placed externally around the first heat pipe holder.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for handheld soldering devices have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.